


Elements

by Loyce (Foehn_Gale)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29851878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foehn_Gale/pseuds/Loyce
Summary: A collection of one-shot stories, theme challenges, and random ideas written between 2006 and 2009.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 3





	1. Checkmate (2008)

**Roles: The Pawn**

He had tied her to a tree.

Used her necklace to track them across hundreds of miles.

And, he’d spent many nights planning- planning on ways to use her to bait the Avatar.

But in the end, he turned out to be the real pawn.

============

**Chivalry: The Knight**

Blue.

It was the first thing to come into focus. Wincing, Zuko blinked and tried to push himself up on his elbows.

“Don’t move.”

Her voice caused him to tense further. A small hand pressed against his chest, and he reluctantly allowed her to force him to lie back down. Along his skin, there was a cool, pleasant sensation. The pain slowly faded, and he found it easier to breathe.

He squinted and waited for his sight to clear. When Katara’s face came into view, her eyes were looking off to the side. Following the direction of her gaze, he noticed the prisoners they had freed from Boiling Rock.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

============

**Vows: The Bishop**

He found him standing at the edge of the temple; his face turned toward the rising sun.

Zuko cautiously approached the young monk. When he stopped to stand beside the boy, he heard him take a deep breath. He waited, knowing that any moment, Aang would release the burden that kept him rooted to the spot.

It wasn’t until the sun had crested the horizon that the Avatar spoke.

“I need you to take care of them." Steel-colored eyes met his golden ones. "More importantly, I need you to promise that you’ll protect her.”

"I will," Zuko laid a fist over his heart and continued without hesitation, “With my life.”

============

**Ivory Tower: The Rook**

Zuko kept his eyes focused on the clenched hands in his lap.

If he didn’t look up, he wouldn’t have to see the look on the young woman’s face as she silently regarded him from across the cell. If he closed his eyes, he wouldn’t have to imagine his uncle held captive behind steel bars. If his knuckles cracked, he wouldn’t have to feel the pain that accompanied the tightness in his chest.

He heard her walk across the stone floor. Each footstep drawing her closer, and he waited for cold steel to fall against the back of his neck.

It never came.

“Just tell me one thing, Zuko,” the voice of his childhood friend rang out, “if I let you out of here, what will you do?”

============

**One Last Breath: The Queen**

The Waterbender was unlike any other person he knew.

Her words could soothe, like the soft blue glow of her hands.

And yet, her quick wit and sharp tongue had a tendency to sting more than the water she wielded.

A fierce opponent but always the protector.

She lived each moment of her life with such passion and intensity that it scared him at times. It had taken weeks, but he’d learned that at any of those moments, Katara could- or would- do something to surprise him.

Though nothing had prepared him for the instant she pushed him out of the way and took the blade that was meant for him.

============

**Brand New Day: The King**

While the Avatar was the embodiment of all four elements, it took Water, Earth, Fire, and Air coming together and working fluidly to bring an end to a war that should have never started.

Zuko lifted his head, accepting the crown’s light weight, along with the heavy burdens that faced him with the advent of a new Fire Nation.

Stepping down from the dais, he stood in front of a group of battered individuals. Aang, placing his fist to his palm, bowed as Zuko mirrored the gesture. Sokka clasped his forearm and squeezed. While dressed in all the finery of her station, Toph touched her fist to his jaw and laughed.

His attention focused on the injured young woman. She lifted her eyes to his, tears clinging to her lashes, contradicting her smile.

And dawn broke over the land.


	2. Lyrics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theme challenge: Music shuffle (2007)

**Track One: Cry by Mandy Moore**

In the short time he’d known her, Zuko had seen Katara cry more times than he could remember. She was always quick to express her emotions; it had become a regular sight- silvery tears streaming down her face. He’d seen them at the mention of her mother, at the fear of losing the Avatar, and, finally, in relief when the war was over.

Those were the moments that stuck out in his mind- mostly because he’d been someway indirectly responsible.

In contrast, there were only a handful of times that he had given into weakness and let the tears fall.

But as he watched the outline of the Southern Water Tribe ship slip off into the distance, he wondered if the familiar sting burned at her eyes too.

**Track Two: Never Alone by Barlow Girls**

Katara stood at the edge of the clearing. Behind her, she could hear the light snores of her brother and the peacefully breathing of the other members of their patchwork family. The quarter moon overhead did little to help her to find the invisible presence that lurked nearby. Her eyes scanned the trees in search of an out-of-place shadow.

“Though I can’t see you, I know you’re there.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Finally, her eyes locked onto a tall form that emerged from the darkness. With its fierce white markings, the blue mask was the only distinguishable thing about the stranger that had been following them for days. Instead of reaching for her bending water, the mask- and the person behind it- didn’t raise her alarm.

The Blue Spirit stood there, his stance relaxed, and reassurance flooded through her. She started toward him but stopped when he shook his head. He lifted his hand and pointed toward her friends. Katara looked over to see them sleeping, but when she turned back to question him- he was gone.

She stared at the emptiness the masked person had left behind. Knowing that she wasn’t alone, Katara smiled.

**Track Three: Want You Bad by The Offspring**

Did she have any idea of what she was doing to him?

Though she might only be a peasant from the Southern Water Tribe, there was no denying the gentle curves that she’d hidden under those loose blue robes.

Zuko shifted uncomfortably on the river bank and watched as she went through a series of advanced moves with the Avatar. The younger boy’s cheeks were flushed, but Zuko knew it wasn’t from exertion. The grass next to him began to smolder, and he removed his hand before he started a wildfire.

Honestly, where was that loud-mouthed brother of hers? Did he really let her prance around, the wet material of her bindings clinging to her like a second skin, in front of everybody?

“No, Aang. Like this.”

His eyes narrowed as Katara came up behind her apprentice and guided him through the movements. The Avatar looked over at him and gave him a smug grin. Irritation and frustration warmed his blood.

“Can you finish this already?”

Her blue eyes flashed toward him; her full lips pulled taut with annoyance. The wave of cold water she unleashed on him did little to quell the green-eyed monster inside of him.

**Track Four: Complicated by Carolyn Dawn Johnson**

“So, are you going to tell him?”

Water splashed onto her skin as it hit the ground. Though her blindness didn’t allow her to see Katara’s dumbfounded expression, she knew her blunt question had thrown the waterbender off balance. Toph smiled up at the sun beating down on her face and curbed the urge to snort. She felt Katara shift so that she could stare down at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“I can tell you’re lying,” Toph answered with a sing-songy voice.

“I am not!”

“You’re blushing.”

“I am not blushing! Bending the water takes focus and concentration, which can be tiring and…” Katara stopped rambling and flopped down beside her. “Why do you do that?”

“It’s fun to mess with you guys.” Toph blew at a wayward strand of her hair. “So, Sugar Queen, when are you going to tell him?”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Sure, there’s not. It’s not like I can’t feel your heart speed up when you’re around him, or the way your necklace jingles when you fidget with it…”

Katara’s sigh echoed in her ears moments before the earth vibrated as the older girl fell back into the grass beside her. “It’s complicated.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, and Toph remembered all the times that the haughty prince held his breath when Katara casually touched him or how he’d take long dips in the cold river in the mornings.

“You don’t know the half of it.”

**Track Five: Pride by Soil**

“Zuko!”

He turned and reached out to take hold of Katara’s hand. Her fingers slipped through his grasp, and she landed hard against the stone floor. Everything else forgotten, he leapt to her unconscious form, only to find a dark figure leering over her. The fire daggers came to life in his hands as he approached the stranger.

“Your fight is with me.” He barked.

“You don’t know how right you are.” The familiar voice of the intruder echoed in his ear and set him on full alert.

He watched as the person rose to their full height- and staggered back when they lifted their head, and he saw his own face staring back at him.

Except for the scar he’d carried for so long did not mar the face that stared back at him smugly. Long back hair skimmed the shoulders of the Fire Nation armor his mirror image wore.

Raising an eyebrow, the double smirked, bent over, and hauled Katara’s limp body against him. His twin held a fire dagger to the waterbender’s slim neck.

“Tell me, Zuko. Which one of us do you think is going to win?”

Zuko woke with a start, his body covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat.


	3. Senses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theme challenge: Five Senses (2007)

**Under Your Skin (Sense- Touch)**

It was the second time she’d touched his scar.

The first time, he had slightly flinched away from her. It wasn’t a noticeable movement, but she’d felt it under her hand. His eyes had been closed, the hard lines of his face serene. It had been the only time she’d ever seen Zuko at peace.

Katara stared at the man in front of her, returning his stunned look. When she’d raised her hand to him, she’d expected that the end result would have been the resounding sound of skin on skin. Somehow the urge to reach out to him overweighed her common sense. What would have happened if she’d been able to heal his scar? Would he have sided with them, or would he have still betrayed everyone? The questions plagued her, the answers out of her grasp.

Could things have turned out differently?

At first, he didn’t move away from her touch. Her fingers had drifted up the side of his face, gently stroking the area around his tired eye. It was when she leaned closer that his eyes had narrowed, and his hand caught her wrist. She had waited for its weight to burn her, to leave a wound she’d later have to mend. The warmth of his hand had spread along her arm, but his touch left no visible mark on her skin- instead, it scalded something deeper, something not so easy to heal.

Now his golden eyes narrowed and focused on her. Zuko’s other hand grasped her shoulder and shook her. “What are you doing here?”

No questions about why she had touched him, not that she could have answered him.

“I… I…”

“Nevermind. I know why.” The jade beads he’d been carrying became tangled in her hand. The grip on her wrist tightened. “You have to get out of here.”

“Aren’t you going to turn me over to Azula?” She asked, the mocking tone sneaking back into her voice.

“Just go. Get my Uncle and leave.” Zuko closed his eyes for a moment before he slowly pulled her hand away from his face.

His fingers dug into her before he released her. She remained frozen to the spot, watching the dark brown colors of his robes disappear into the darkness of the hallway. When her feet broke free of the invisible shackles, she turned and ran down the hall to where everyone was waiting.

But she couldn’t help the feeling that a pair of eyes continued to watch her from the shadows.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**She Moves Like Water (Sense- Sight)**

“You can handle tending the fire, can’t you?”

Zuko growled at her condescending tone and glanced over his shoulder. “I’m a firebender. I’m fairly sure I can keep this poor excuse of a fire from going out.”

He watched the waterbender’s hands come to rest on her hips. “Excuse me. It was the best I could do since someone wouldn’t lend a hand when we set up camp earlier.” With a sigh, she rolled her eyes, “I’m going down to the stream for some practice. I’ll be back before the others return.”

“Don’t hurry back on my part.”

Katara fumed and stomped her foot. He turned his attention back to the small fire and didn’t breathe easy until her footfalls had grown silent. Two weeks into joining their rag-tag group and he’d already had a few dreams about drowning the bossy peasant. He might have signed up to train the Avatar, but nowhere along the line had he been told he’d have to put up with… her.

Keeping his eyes focused on the fire, Zuko slowed his breathing and managed to bring the flame under his control within a second. The only way to soothe his nerves from an encounter with Katara would be through mediation. With the noon sun overhead, he let the fire burn within him, closed his eyes, and let his mind go.

He could feel the sun as it shifted in the sky, moving through its zenith toward the horizon. And still, the waterbender did not return. Not that he minded the peace and quiet for a change, but she could not still be practicing. A dull ache settled into his knees, and he decided to take a walk to see what was detaining her.

Maybe she had drowned in the river.

The thought didn’t make him smile. The last thing he wanted to do was explain to her brother and the Avatar why their group would be down a waterbender.

Moving through the thick underbrush, he finally came upon the stream and stopped.

Katara had shed her outer robes and stood in the middle of the river in nothing more than her undergarments. Part of him ordered that he turn around and not look, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

And it wasn’t because of her state of undress.

He stared at her, watching her movements as she bent the water to her will. Katara gathered the water along her right arm and sent it out in the form of a whip, ripping through targets she’d set up. From there, she moved into a series of stances that had her turning the water around her into ice. Her hands cut through the large cylinder she’d created, sending razor-sharp discs at some of the boulders that flanked the river’s edge. These were followed by ice darts and a variety of other attacks he’d never seen her use.

He was mesmerized by her. The amount of dedication she applied to practicing her bending rivaled his own. While his technique depended on quickly executed maneuvers, hers flowed- like her element.

She worked with the water, not against it.

Katara calmed the waters around her and walked back to shore. She stood a few feet in front of him as she wrung the remaining water from her hair. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed back to the camp. The fire in the pit was nothing but smoldering ashes. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced at them, and the flames sprung back to life- higher than they’d been before.

He sat down on a fallen log and stared at the fire, wondering what else it could teach him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Beso (Sense- Taste)**

The first kiss Katara ever received had been on her forehead. It had been a gift bestowed upon her by her mother. It had been a kiss made of a mixture of emotions from the woman that had carried and loved her, even before she saw her face. Of course, she hadn’t remembered the event. Her father had relayed the tale years later, after the loss of her mother.

The first kiss she remembered receiving had been from one of her classmates. It had been her 6th birthday. One of the boys had surprised her by placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. For his gift, she’d given him a black eye and claimed that boys were gross. Sokka eventually told her how her father had smiled and said a prayer to Tui and La that she would always think of the opposite sex that way.

The first kiss she had given- outside of her family- had been to Aang. Their lips had touched for the briefest moment in the Cave of Two Lovers. Later, she’d placed her lips against his cheek before he left to train with the Guru at the Eastern Air Temple. Neither kiss had left butterflies in her stomach nor made her feel faint.

The first kiss that had ever made the heavens and earth move was the kiss she stole from Zuko. The hot-tempered Fire Nation Prince hadn’t seen it coming. Her hands had flanked his face, his stunned look registering in her mind before she’d pulled his mouth down to hers. Her lips had locked with him, and she watched his eyes widened. She smiled under the pressure of the kiss before Zuko grabbed her shoulders and took control. In the end, she had been the one left shaken.

That first kiss had been the beginning of a world that never stopped shifting beneath her feet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Reading Between The Lines (Sense- Sound)**

The young earthbender sat on a rock, a knowing smile on her face. Across the clearing, a master waterbender and firebender were facing off. Again. It had become a daily event that everyone else blew off, going in search of something better to do. However, Toph usually found a rock to sit on in order to listen to the two of them.

Through their movements, she could tell that each insult they slung at each other was nothing more than a veiled lie. For weeks now, she’d felt how Katara’s heartbeat would speed up at the mere mention of Zuko’s name. Or how she shuffled her feet as they talked in low whispers when they thought no one was listening. Even Zuko had gotten sloppy and had let his emotions show through. She’d lost count of how many times the Fire Prince held his breath when Katara briefly touched him.

But lately, their pent-up emotions were seeping into their words, their tone.

Toph was reasonably sure that Iroh was aware of the tension between his nephew and the waterbender. The older man had a way of knowing things that made her wonder at times if he had a little bit of earthbender in him after all. Even Aang had set off some vibrations the other day that made Toph think that the Avatar had finally wised up. Only one member of their dysfunctional family remained oblivious to the budding attraction between Zuko and Katara.

Sokka’s familiar stride resounded stronger the closer he got to her rock. She heard him sigh and felt the rock take the pressure of his weight as he leaned against it.

“All they ever do is fight. Surprisingly, Azula, her friends, and the Fire Nation haven’t found us with as much noise they are making.”

“You’re not reading between the lines, Sokka.”

“The possibility of there being a hidden message-” he used air quotes even though she couldn’t see, “is highly unlikely. I mean, seriously, if you can get something more out of ‘You stupid water tribe peasant’ and ‘Fire Nation jerk,’ then I have to wonder about your sanity.”

She scrunched up her face at him. “The fact that you haven’t noticed makes me question _your_ sanity.”

“Noticed what?”

This time, she stole one of his patented moves and smacked her forehead. “That your sister has some pretty strong feelings toward Princey over there… and visa versa.”

“Yah, Toph. It’s called hate.”

“Now you’re just lying to yourself. Some genius you are.” Toph blew out an exasperated sigh. She grabbed Sokka by the ponytail and jerked his face toward where his sister and her secret love were squaring off. “Just listen to them.”

“Don’t come one step closer.” Katara’s voice rang out; her tone contained no malice.

_It’s hard for me to keep up this façade when you’re so close._

“Believe me; the feeling is mutual.” Zuko shot back at her. “I’m forced to be around you every waking moment… and it’s wearing on my nerves.”

_I know. It’s hard for me as well._

“Wearing on your nerves? How many more days do I have to endure this?”

_How much longer must we do this? How much longer must we hide our feelings?_

“This war cannot end soon enough.”

_I don’t know._

“Well, at least we can agree on something.”

_Will it always be like this?_

“I only say that, peasant because I can’t wait until I can be free of this burden.”

_I don’t know._

“What did you just call me, you spoiled arrogant...”

Their voices grew louder as they inched closer to each other. Toph pointed at the direction of the firebender and his opponent. “See?”

“Yah, I’m not hearing anything but two people that hate each other’s guts.”

“Who’s the blind one here, Sokka?”

“Is this a rhetorical question?”

Rolling her eyes, Toph flattened her hand against the rock and sent a pulse through it to the ground. It traveled across the clearing to where Zuko and Katara were standing dangerously close to each other. The little earthquake did just what Toph wanted. The two benders lost their balance and fell to the ground in a jumble. Using her abilities, she tried to get the mental image of how Zuko and Katara had landed. Everything went silent, though she could feel Sokka’s quick intake of breath and the wild heartbeats of the two hormonal teenagers on the ground. While the fuzzy picture started to come into view, she heard Sokka unsheathe his boomerang.

“Hey you, get off my sister!”

The visual of Zuko and Katara came sharply into focus, and Toph folded her arms around her stomach. Her laughter broke the awkward silence. “Now, do you believe me?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Rain (Sense- Smell)**

There were many things he enjoyed about the rain.

The way it sounded as the droplets landed on the canvas of their tents. Or how steam would rise when it came in contact with his skin.

But more than anything, Zuko was fascinated by how a small gentle shower could become a raging tempest.

Maybe it explained why he was drawn to Katara.

Because every time she’d pass by, the fresh scent of the rain followed in her wake.


	4. Sonnets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theme Challenge: Shakespeare (2007)

**Taming of the Shrew**

Katara’s gaze narrowed as she looked at her three closest friends. They stood just a few yards away from her discussing her current predicament - as if she couldn’t hear them.

“Well, someone should untie her.”

Her hands itched to be released from the rope that kept them, prisoner, behind her back. And when her feet were freed as well, she’d make sure that the Fire Nation would be down one heir to the throne… but first…

Toph nudged the taller boy. “You’re her brother, you should do it.”

“But you’re her girlfriend…” Sokka put his hands up in defense when Toph shifted her feet and raised an eyebrow. “I meant that you’re a friend that’s a girl and that you two go off and do all those… girly things together and…”

She grunted against the gag that had been stuffed in her mouth. The three pairs of eyes that turned in her direction would have widened in surprise had they been able to understand exactly what she’d just said.

“I know,” The Avatar exclaimed with a snap of his fingers, “We’ll draw straws!”

Katara rolled her eyes and strained against the rope.

“Great idea, Twinkletoes.”

“I have to give it to Zuko,” Sokka said as he leaned closer to inspect the bounds that held his sister, “He certainly knows how to tie a secure knot.”

Toph smirked. “Don’t you think that should have been something you said after your sister set off to kick some princely butt?”

Katara growled when Sokka looked at her with a sheepish smile.

Aang held out three pieces of grass. “Alright, short straw unties Katara.”

Unable to anything but watch, Katara saw Toph and Sokka each pull a piece of grass from Aang’s hand.

Sokka’s voice squeaked when he asked, “How about the best two out of three?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Twelfth Night**

On the first night, she let him know in no uncertain terms just what she thought of him.

On the second night, he tied her up, gagged her, and left her for her friends to find.

On the third night, no one laughed when Zuko refused to sit to eat his food- though the corners of Katara’s mouth twisted into a devious smile.

On the fourth night, Katara ate her burnt dinner without a word.

On the fifth night, steam filled the camp as fire and water were thrown at each other- along with verbal insults.

On the sixth night, both Zuko and Katara were banned from camp so that everyone else could have some peace and quiet.

On the seventh night, Katara apologized with clenched fists at her side.

On the eighth night, an eerie calm settled over the group.

On the ninth night, Zuko grunted his apology.

On the tenth night, the Fire Nation Prince and water peasant shared a pot of tea in silence.

On the eleventh night, they sparred with each other and Zuko demanded a rematch for the following morning.

On the twelfth night, no one was sure what was going on anymore.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**A Midsummer Night’s Dream**

She never considered herself a troublemaker. Once, one of her teachers had compared her with some of the great mischief-makers of literary genius. Toph never agreed with them, always thinking the adults that surrounded her tended to blow things out of proportion.

However, the recent addition to their little group- along with the recent developments he’d caused- had her thinking otherwise.

It was fun getting under their skin… the both of them. A little play on words here, a slight nudge and a wink there- all in good fun, of course. Either way, she could always feel their responses. Be it the rabid beating of their hearts, or the unsteady intake of breath, and even their shifting feet.

Though, the thought of telling Zuko that no one was at the stream, so it was clear for him to take his bath still brought a smile to her face. Especially when Katara would pass him and whisper the word ‘pervert’ under her breath for weeks after the misunderstanding.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Much Ado About Nothing**

Nothing.

It’s a one-word answer that I’ve been hearing a lot lately and it’s a word that an older brother learns to fear. It seems to be the tone of everything that’s happened since Zuko has joined up to teach Aang firebending. At first, nothing was bothering her when she’d storm out of the camp, her hands fisted at her sides. Then, nothing happened to cause her to scream out the one night she went to the stream to bathe. Since that time, there have been little bits of nothing here or there.

Like, there’s nothing to be read from the long looks or lingering touches. Nor is there nothing to be worried about when the two of them go from soft conversations to almost strangling each other.

No, there’s nothing at all.

I’m starting to think that nothing has another name.

And it’s Zuko.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**The Tempest**

The rain pounds down upon them, though neither seems to be aware of it.

The seconds tick by like hours. Blue and gold eyes hold each other captive for a moment.

She brushes the wet strands of hair from her face and walks by him.

He stands with his back to her and the distance between them grows.

Three small words have been spoken by both. Words locking their fates together…

Yet, the sun does not break through the clouds, nor does the rain let up. Instead, lightning streaks across the sky, followed by thunder that shakes the ground beneath their feet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**The Comedy of Errors**

He didn’t know how to act.

Nothing he learned in all those lessons on etiquette and ceremony had prepared him for this.

Zuko could remember the day all too clearly. The rain had soaked through his clothes, chilling him until he could feel his inner spark contract. He could recall the way she looked, the fire burning in her blue eyes as she slung the words at him like a weapon.

And how his voice had cracked when he’d fired them back.

But all of that was forgotten when they became locked in a constant battle for their lives and the fate of the world. It wasn’t until her small hand slipped into his as he stood looking over the ruins of his nation that those three small words came back. Like a sucker punch from his sister. And from that moment on, he didn’t know how to act around her.

During his coronation, he was lowering his head to receive the symbol of his reign when she smiled at him. The dawn light drifted over her face and he felt his heart thunder in his chest. He was so enthralled he almost bent over too far and slipped off the platform. Another time, during a sparring match, one of her water whips had actually connected with his cheek since he’d been distracted by her lack of decent clothing. White scraps of material did not constitute a training uniform. When she came over to offer to heal the welt, he backed away with each step she took toward him. In the end, he fell into the turtle-duck pond, which had helped cool his rising temperature.

The latest debacle had cost him a priceless vase that dated back to his grandfather Azulon’s rule. Did she honestly think it was appropriate to go around asking ‘those sorts’ of questions in casual conversation? And to his uncle?

Zuko dropped his head in his hands and sighed. With his feelings for Katara tripping him up at every turn, it wasn’t a surprise he felt more like the court jester than the Fire Lord.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**As You Like It**

“Ugh, how can they go around wearing these things all day?”

Katara yanked off the nondescript white mask of the Fire Nation Army and wiped at the sweat beaded along her brow.

“Of all the stubborn, brash, bone-headed…”

“What did you hope to accomplish by following him around all day in that get-up?”

“I don’t know…” Katara sighed and slumped down into the pillows that lined the floor. “Maybe I was hoping he’d confide in someone- anyone- that he… has feelings for me.”

“Did you honestly expect the hothead to do something like that?”

“Yeah.” She heard the familiar snort the younger girl made before she let loose a round of hearty laughter. “Why are you laughing at me, Toph?”

“Come on, Sugar Queen. Men hardly speak about that stuff to other guys. They aren’t like women.”

“Are you telling me that I just spent the last week following him around, dressed like a man, for absolutely nothing… and you knew this was going to happen?”

The pitcher of water next to the smaller girl started to shake back and forth. Calmly, Toph placed one hand on the container to steady it before she reached into the fruit dish. Toph plopped a grape into her mouth. “Yes and yes.”

Embarrassed, Katara flung herself into the comfort of the pillows, hoping they’d swallow her whole. “What’s it going to take for him to say it again?”

“Honestly…” The Earthbender tossed another grape in the air and caught it in her mouth. “All it would take would be a life or death situation.”

Katara blew at the wayward strand of hair plastered to her face. “Think you could go and threaten him for me?”

“Not on your life.”

“I didn’t think so.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Love’s Labours Lost**

He’d known the moment the messenger appeared at the entrance of his study that the news he bore was not good. The seal of the Southern Water Tribe might have locked a family secret inside the parchment, but he knew what it meant.

She was going home.

Zuko’s hand tightened around the scroll as he entered the private gardens of the castle. It was on nights like this that he’d find her carefully manipulating her element. Tonight was no different. The full moon overhead did more to illuminate the grounds than the fires he’d ordered lit for her.

He came to the edge of the grass and watched her for a moment before Katara noticed his presence. The warm smile died on her face as she approached him, her big blue eyes widening with concern and questions.

“This arrived a moment ago.”

Those were the only words he could muster as he held out the scroll and waited for her to take it. Her eyes never left his face and her fingers brushed against his as she took the missive from him. Though she hadn’t broken the seal, he watched her eyes become glassy with unshed tears.

Finally, she broke the gaze and tore open the scroll. She gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth to stifle a sob. His own hands fisted at his sides.

Choking back tears, Katara re-rolled the scroll. “My… my grandmother… she’s…”

Later, he’d curse himself, but Zuko couldn’t help but reach out and touch her. He laid his hands on her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.

“I’m sorry, Katara.”

“I’m sorry, too, Zuko.” She lifted her head and he looked into her red, puffy eyes. “I have to go back home.”

“I understand.”

Why did his stomach turn when he said those words? If their situations were reversed, he’d do the same thing. So, why did it feel like a part of him stopped when she confirmed she was going back to the South Pole?

They stood there; his hands on her for longer than what would be deemed appropriate. But he couldn’t seem to let her go. When he did, she would leave- maybe for forever.

Her soft hand caressed the scarred side of his face, pulling him from his melancholy thoughts. The silence between them was anything but still. He fought to find words to say to her, and she looked as lost as he felt. With a heavy sigh, her fingers traced down his cheek and away from him, leaving the place she’d just touched cold. It took a great deal of willpower but he dropped his hands from her shoulders, letting his palms smooth down her arms.

Katara clutched the scroll to her chest. “Zuko, I…”

“It’s alright, Katara. Go, get your brother. I’ll have a ship prepared to leave the moment you arrive at the docks.”

“Thank you.”

She graced him with one last smile before she turned and ran from the gardens, her long braid trailing after her.

She hadn’t said ‘goodbye’ and he hadn’t said what was in his heart.

Turning on his heel, Zuko strode out of the gardens, not sure when he’d come back again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Winter’s Tale**

The twelve men surrounding the ornate table climbed to their feet as the door to the old war-room swung open. All twelve began to bow to their lord when they suddenly paused, their eyes blinking to take in what they were seeing.

“Admiral Iroh?” one called out, the confusion evident in his tone.

“The last time I checked I was still an Admiral, albeit a retired one.”

“But Admiral, where is the Fire Lord?”

“Has something happened? Is the Fire Lord unwell?”

“Why were we not informed…”

Iroh put his hands up to quell the mounting confusion before they gave him a headache with all of their dizzying questions. Honestly, how could anyone deal with this without having a cup of tea first?

“Gentlemen, let me be the first to assure you that the Fire Lord is both alive and well.”

“Then where is he, Admiral? There are important negotiations on the agenda for today that must be answered…”

“All matters will be addressed and handled.” Iroh pulled out a scroll from his robes and laid it down on the council’s table. “This document was drawn up by the Fire Lord himself, giving me authority to handle all matters of the Fire Nation until his return.”

“Until his return?”

Iroh rubbed his temples. No wonder his nephew was always cranky when he left these meetings. Nothing was worse than having to repeat one’s self.

“The Fire Lord has taken leave to handle some important negotiations of his own.”

“Where? With what nation?”

Iroh sat down at the head of the table, thankful to find a hot pot of tea waiting for him. Taking a sip, he savored the taste before turning his attention back to the twelve pairs of eyes that watched him so intently.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

========

“Good, Tenke. Now, I want you to push and pull the water, like this.”

Katara moved closer to the water’s edge and began to move her arms up and down. Slowly, she began to sway at the same time, working with the natural movement of the ocean. The waves crested higher and eventually covered the tops of her thick boots.

The young apprentice stepped forward and tried to repeat the motion but something caught his attention and he lost his focus. Katara bit back a giggle when a huge splash of sea spray caught the boy in the face.

“Don’t worry, Tenke. It took me a long time before I mastered that move.”

“I’d say you still need to work on that move.”

For a moment, she stood still, unable to determine if his voice had actually been real and not just a dream.

“Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to introduce me?”

Slowly, Katara spun around and her wide eyes fell upon the Fire Lord for the first time in over a year. He stood at the top of the snowbank, his good eye glaring at her. The blue parka he wore did little to keep him from looking out of place. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and from the slight way his teeth chattered, she had a feeling it wasn’t just to look brooding.

“This god-forsaken place is colder than I remember.”

Something melted inside of her and warmed her from the inside out. Nothing could have stopped her from smiling, nor bending a snowball and flinging it in his direction. It made a satisfying sound as it landed against his face.

“It’s good to see you too, Zuko.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**All’s Well That Ends Well**

Katara lifted her eyes toward the Celestial Lights and let the small snowflakes melt as they hit her face. Overhead, the colors that represented the four nations blended together in a display that could only be described with one word…

“Breathtaking.”

“Did you say something?”

“It was nothing, Zuko. Just muttering under my breath.”

The Fire Lord glanced at her out of his good eye and made a nondescript sound.

The snow crunched under her as she moved closer to him, welcoming the warmth that he radiated even through the thick blue parka. Zuko tucked an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Katara could feel the blush creep into her cheeks as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Alone on the snowpack, they fell into a companionable silence, neither of them feeling the need to speak, though her mind refused to remain calm. A whirlwind of images raced through her mind as she recalled each step that had brought her to this point.

Born into the Southern Water Tribe, she’d become a Waterbending Master. Once she had known nothing beyond the ice floe; now had seen the entire world. And when everyone else had just about given up hope, she’d found the Avatar and helped him save the delicate balance of the world.

Which brought her thoughts back around to the man sitting next to her in the freezing snow. Katara kept her eyes on the wavering lights and remembered how she used to hate the color red. It represented hatred, war, greed- and Zuko, the enemy. But that had changed; but not overnight. As time passed, he was slowly able to shed the cloak of the exiled prince, hell-bent on revenge. He became an acquaintance, an accomplice, a friend, and now…

“Will you quit fidgeting with… _that_?”

Her fingers stilled on the ornament that hung from the velvet strip around her neck. Katara shook her head and laughed. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted his bandaged hand and her grasp tightened around the crudely carved stone.

"Never."


	5. Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theme challenge (2006)

'It's complicated.'

As he rolled over on his bed mat, Zuko sighed that the heavy truth those words held. The tiny flame of the candle flickered as he tapped his fingers against the hardwood floor. He was an exiled prince who had branded an outlaw. The entire world feared and hated him, though, in his past, he'd given them enough reasons.

And yet, she hadn't seen that when she looked at him. To Jin, he was just a boy serving tea in one of the outer wall cities of Ba Sing Se. To her, he was just Li.

_'It's complicated.'_

He closed his eyes and replayed that moment next to the water fountain. She had risen on the balls of her feet and touched his lips with her own. It had been the gentlest of touches, not even enough to be considered a true kiss. For a second, he forgot about everything- how there was a bounty on his head or how he'd risked exposure by lighting the lanterns for her- and he became just a normal teenaged boy. That's when he'd leaned down as she started to pull away and kissed her.

However, this time when he pulled away from her, it wasn't Jin's muddled green eyes staring back at him- but piercing blue ones.

Zuko's eyes sprang open, and the shadows dancing ceiling stared down at him. What was it about her? Why did thoughts of her come to mind as he remembered the kiss? It wasn't the first time the Waterbender had intruded upon his thoughts- and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

Sun and Moon. Fire and Water.

With a frustrated grunt, he waved a hand at the candle and extinguished the flame. Thin streams of pale light dotted the floor near the window. He watched as a few clouds passed in front of the moon, causing a wave-like pattern to appear in the light before they moved along. He grabbed the small pillow from under his head and pushed it against his face.

"'Complicated' might have been an understatement."


	6. Intoxicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theme Challenge: Tipsy (2008)

“It’s not that funny, Katara.”

Zuko rolled his eyes as her laughter echoed off the walls of the hallway. Her robes dragged along the marble floor as she doubled over.

“Jerkbending... I never understood why it was so funny.” She giggled, “But I get it now.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, looked down at the girl beside him, and sighed. The coronation ceremony had been exhausting enough. And the celebration that followed had drained him of what little patience he had left. Entertaining dignitaries from all over the world had never been his forte. He’d been introduced to more people than he’d ever remembered and through it all, he’d watched her take cup after cup of fermented Fire Lily nectar. When the last of the guest had left the ballroom, he’d watched her as she walked into the hallway on shaky legs.

He’d scanned the stragglers, looking for her brother - who was nowhere to be found. Zuko had a feeling that Sokka had retreated to some darkened room with the Kyoshi warrior.

So, for some reason he couldn't name, he’d ended up going after her.

Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea.

“Do you even know where you’re going?”

She stopped laughing and stood up. Her cheeks were flushed and a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Of course I do, Mr. Jerkbender. I’m going back to my room.”

Zuko watched her sway on her feet and resisted the urge to reach out and steady her. “Your room is in the other direction.”

“Are you sure?” Her eyebrows came together and she pointed a finger in his face, “I think you’re trying to trick me.”

“Hardly.” He took hold of her elbow and turned her around. “Come on, it’s getting late.”

“It’s not late. The night has just begun.” She pointed out a nearby window. “See, the moon just woke up from her slumber. Good Morning, Yue!”

Katara lifted her hand and started waving wildly.

Zuko grabbed her arm, and made a shushing sound, putting his finger to his lips. “Are you trying to wake up the whole palace?!”

Again, her laughter filled the night air. “Why Zuko, if I didn’t know better I’d say you were acting like the Fire Lord.”

“I am the Fire Lord, Katara. Have you forgotten?”

“Nope. I could never forget something like that.” She pulled out of his grasp and twirled to face him. “Look at you, so serious. You need to smile. Have you forgotten how? Here, all you have to do is lift the corners of your mouth like this...”

She took a step forward, while he took one back, unsure of what she was going to do.

“What’s wrong?” This time when she laughed, the sound was huskier. “Afraid of a ‘wittle’ waterbender?”

Again, Katara took another step toward him, but this time, her foot caught in her long blue robes. The playful expression left her face as she pitched forward. Zuko wasn’t sure how he managed it, but he caught her before she hit the floor. However, her momentum threw him off balance and he looked up into the face of the woman draped across him.

He suddenly felt too warm and tugged that the collar of his robes. He tried to keep his eyes focused on her forehead- but with no luck. Her eyes were wide and bright. Just to make him even more uncomfortable, her tongue darted out and ran along her full lips. His eyes continued downward and he caught a hint of her dark-colored skin at the hollow of her neck. A lump formed in his throat and he found it hard to swallow.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and started to extract himself from their scandalous position when she touched his face. Her hand traced along the contours of his face, along the rough edges of his scar. The sensation she created made him shift underneath her body. The cool caress was intoxicating. Katara tilted her head, a shadow of seriousness passing over her eyes.

“I like it when you smile.”

It was the last thing he expected her to say. Her hand remained on his face and was soon joined by her other. With his face cupped in her hands, Zuko stared at her. Her hair had fallen from the jeweled clips and curled around her face. He could feel heat flare into his cheeks. Finally, her hands moved.

Uncertainty replaced the feelings she’d caused as she positioned her thumbs at the corners of his mouth. Zuko raised an eyebrow as her face broke into a breathtaking grin. The next thing he knew, she had pulled his mouth into a make-shift smile.

“There!”

And that had been the last thing he expected her to do.

“Now, if I could just freeze your face like that...”

Eyes wide, Zuko hurriedly pulled his face away from her strong grip. He rubbed his sore jaw, “That won’t be necessary.”

“Aw, but that was the perfect smile!”

“I’m sure it was.”

Reality came crashing back as Zuko regarded their position and thanked Agni that no one had come across them. Taking hold of Katara’s shoulders, he guided her to sit back on her knees. He slowly climbed to his feet and held out a hand for her. She placed her hand in his and smiled back up at him. Time stood still and Zuko thought his heart had stopped beating. Her smile lit up her face and he couldn't remember ever seeing her look more beautiful.

“You’re a mess.” He sighed as he pulled her to her feet. She swayed for a moment and he waited for her legs to steady. “Come on, let’s get you back to your room.”

“I am not a mess, Fire Jerk Zuko...” She giggled and started talking about some nonsense while she walked- in a diagonal line. Giving up, he marched over to her and took hold of her hand. It felt small in his own.

“You’re impossible, you know that?”

They walked down a maze of hallways before she answered, “I’m not the only one.”

He reached her room and opened the door, lighting the candles within with a flick of his wrist. Her hand slipped out of his and she grabbed onto the door frame. She seemed to linger at the threshold and he could feel her eyes on him.

He bowed, said, “Good night, Katara,” and started toward his own room.

“Zuko?”

He stopped and turned back to see her right behind him. “What?”

Katara leaned forward, placed a kiss against his cheek, and retreated to her quarters. He heard the soft click of the door as it shut.

He stood there for a moment, hand pressed against the scarred flesh she’d just kissed.

And this time, when he smiled, he didn’t need her help.


	7. The Choices We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written in 2006

The fires raged around him. Their heat did little to warm the cold metal of his throne. The ornate dark pillars that surrounded him, for a moment, felt more like the walls of a prison than anything else. With a shake of his head, he dismissed the thought and stared out over the darkness just beyond the fire’s edge.

The gold insignia, the mark of his rank, slipped slightly and he reached up to right it. As he worked the emblem back into place, the blue dragon slipped down one of the pillars and wrapped her way around the throne- and him.

“Isn’t it wonderful, my lord? Everything your eyes can see belongs to you.”

“I can’t see anything.”

The blue dragon slithered her way until she came face to face with him. “Are you sure, my lord? Why I can see the whole world bowing down before its true leader.”

It was then, behind the dragon, that he was able to see the faint outline of the landscape of his domain. Banners bearing the mark of the Fire Nation swayed in the wind. Instinctively, his hand came up to the left side of his face.

The flesh was no longer puckered and scarred. Instead, the skin was smooth and soft to his touch. The mark that had been given to him was finally gone- banished as he had been many years before. He paused, his fingers still touching his cheek.

But something didn’t feel right…

“You look tired, my lord. Perhaps you should…”

His eyes focused on the golden eyes of the dragon before him. “I’m not tired.”

The dragon gave a low, menacing growl and sulk back to her pillar. As her blue-scaled body moved out of his line of sight, he slowly watched the skyline of the new nation fade back into the darkness. Standing, he smoothed the orange and red robes and stepped forward.

“What are you doing?” The dragon wrapped her tail in a tight coil around his ankles. She rose up and hissed at him. “You don’t need to concern yourself with anything beyond this place.”

“Is it not mine?” He questioned, his eyes narrowing and the muscle in his cheek twitched.

The blue dragon leaned out from the platform, dragging him closer to the edge. Once again, the skyline of the Fire Nation glowed behind her. “Of course it is, my lord.”

And then she cried out in pain and threw him back onto his throne. He watched as the giant beast lurched again as if burned- though he could see no scorch marks on her scales. Instead, he lifted his head and slowly watched as drop after drop of rain started to fall from the black sky.

Soon, steady rain was coming down around the platform. The fires that had flanked him were buckling under the pressure of the water, giving into its power. After a few moments, a heavy fog rolled in over the embers of the fire, and still, the rain continued to fall. The water began to puddle and collect until it seemed like his throne was nothing more than an island in a forgotten sea.

He searched the horizon for the blue dragon but was unable to find her. He was about to call for her when the darkness gave way to a blinding light. Lifting his arm, he blocked the intense light from his eyes until it had subsided. Now, he was surrounded by a blue sky and an equally blue ocean.

Lost, he stood there, not sure what to do next. Then, off in the distance, he caught the shape of something flying through the air. As the object drew closer, he could see that it was a large white bird, with something clenched in its claws. He was unprepared when the bird dived from high in the sky and landed at his feet.

The white bird’s head lifted and he was startled by the piercing blue color of its eyes. The bird tilted its head to one side, almost as if it was giving him a once-over. His own eyes took in the bird that was only as tall as his knees. A small blue jewel sat upon the bird’s breast, and its long white tail was covered in similar jewels. It wasn’t until he spotted what the bird had locked in its claw that he spoke.

“Where did you get that?” He commanded.

The bird’s eyes narrowed to match his expression. “I happened upon it in my travels.”

Something about the bird’s voice was familiar- feminine. He watched as she unfolded her wings and lifted one of her claws and passed him what she had been holding. His hand wrapped around one of the ties of the blue plaster mask. Turning it, the white markings outlined a face that he knew too well.

“A mask of this value must be important to someone. I want to return it.”

His knuckles turned white for a short moment before he tossed the mask back to the ground. The plaster cracked as it hit the marbled floor. “Maybe the owner doesn’t want it back. Did you ever think of that?”

The white bird’s blue eyes seemed to bore into him. “The thought never crossed my mind.” She then fluttered over and perched herself on the broken mask. “You’ll find that something of importance that just tossed aside is not easily forgotten.”

He’d turn to walk away from her, to ignore the annoying white bird altogether when she started to glow. He watched as the crack of the mask started to mend where she’d touched it with her wing. The blue glow dimmed and the mask had been repaired.

“Why did you even bother to fix it?” He questioned with a bitter tone. “Not everything that’s broken needs to be fixed- wants to be fixed.”

The bird stared at him, her eyes glued to his burning fists. He grunted and extinguished the flames. He dropped his gaze and found himself staring into the depths of her usual blue eyes.

“You have more water in you than you think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The bird laughed and he tried to remember the last time he’d heard a sound so pure.

“On the surface, the water is calm- poised. She’s normally tranquil until someone tosses a rock into her depths. For a few moments, she ripples and churns, but eventually, she returns back to her original state.

“However, the water is forever changed. The rock remains a part of her now. No matter how hard she tries, she can’t just remove it from her being. So, she’ll sway and dance with the tides, slowly breaking it down until it melds with the rest of her existence. And that won’t happen until she’s learned to accept it.”

He stared out over the water, watching it as gentle waves lapped at the edge of the platform. “You speak in riddles.”

“Riddles are sometimes easier to understand when you listen to them with your heart and not just your ears.”

Beneath his feet, the entire world shifted and a terrible sound filled the surrounding silence he’d started to enjoy. Darkness returned, red and black closed their grips and strangled all of the blues from the sky. The flames erupted from under the leagues of water and turned the entire ocean into steam. From its thickness, the blue dragon rose up, her fangs bared.

“What are you doing here?” Blue Dragon hissed as she leapt and charged forward.

The white bird spread her wings and took off; the mask held tightly in her claws. She dove and moved out of the way of each of the dragon’s fierce attacks. He watched, unable to do anything as the battle waged before him.

Finally, the bird turned toward the dragon and opened her mouth. A beautiful sound came from her, and with it, ice began to form along the dragon’s body, pinning her in place. The exhausted bird came to hover in front of him; an outstretched claw holding the mask.

“Take it.”

He turned his head from her gaze. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s always complicated, but that’s why we are given the chance to change- to choose.” She brushed one of her wings against his face. “There are those that accept their fate and those that find the power to defy it.”

“This is my fate.”

The mask dropped from the bird’s claw and landed against the platform with a muted thud. “I thought you had changed.”

The phrase was issued at him again- only this time, it was said in sadness.

“I did.”

The sound of cracking ice filled the silence between them, punctuated by the roar of the blue dragon.

The bird hung her head and one tear rolled down her feathered cheek. The tear, and bird, landed on top of the blue mask which began to dissolve into a small puddle of water. She stood there and lifted her head as she too began to disintegrate. She never made a move to fly away, and he found himself willing her to leave.

‘Go. Runaway.’ He thought, unable to bring himself to voice the words.

And then, her eyes locked with his one last time.

“And so we move and change, by the speed of the choices we make.”

Her words echoed long after she had changed back into the water. He bent down and touched the small puddle, finding it cold to his touch. His fingers caused the water to ripple, and when it had finally calmed, he caught sight of his reflection.

The left side of his face bore an ugly red scar.

Zuko struggled against the twisted sheets and shot up in his bed. A thin sheen of cold sweat covered his body. Each uneven breath he took burned his lungs and caught in his throat. He lifted his shaking hands to his face and felt the rough texture of the scar.

_‘I thought you had changed…’_

Dropping his head into his hands, Zuko tried to forget the vivid images of his dream- and what they could mean.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Far across the wild landscape of the Earth Kingdom, a young peasant unconsciously wiped away the tears that had fallen down her face as she slept.


End file.
